Folks I also own the Sony HX5 and for me the ZS7 is heads above the Sony in all areas except for low light shotting but the margin is minimal in low light enough that it is disregarded for my liking...
My money is on the ZS7 hands down it absolutely impresses me well enough to send the Sony packing....I think the soft photos from the ZS7 are operator error...The biggest problem I have with the ZS7 is flaring under Sodium Lights severely...and that is probably operator error also...
I guess the Sony HX5 is just not impressing me at all...I will keep shooting with it hoping it gets better with time like good wine....

Folks I also own the Sony HX5 and for me the ZS7 is heads above the Sony in all areas except for low light shotting but the margin is minimal in low light enough that it is disregarded for my liking...
My money is on the ZS7 hands down it absolutely impresses me well enough to send the Sony packing....I think the soft photos from the ZS7 are operator error...The biggest problem I have with the ZS7 is flaring under Sodium Lights severely...and that is probably operator error also...
I guess the Sony HX5 is just not impressing me at all...I will keep shooting with it hoping it gets better with time like good wine....

Like most things Sony - witness the mess their new mirrorless slrs's are. There has been something seriously wrong in the Sony corporate culture for many years. Skilled marketing combined with an incredibly arrogant superiority complex. So much potential, but very few Sony products really hit the nail on the head...too many compromises in the name of glitzty marketing and continuously trying to create loyalty by trapping customers in a vicious circle of proprietary technology.

... So much potential, but very few Sony products really hit the nail on the head......

I could not agree more. I recently replied to a post here at Steve's and my comments were..."I like Sony but I'm very selective about their products". The reason I said that was exactly because of what you just wrote. From time to time Sony gets it right but there is no consistency. Look at the H series for example. The H1 was a great camera followed by the H2, an even better camera. Then came the H5 with lots of issues, followed by the H9 also with its share of problems. The H50 was bit better but I was never sold on it as I was not sold on the HX1 and now the HX5. This trend is spread pretty much across their P&S line up. Their DSLR products on the other hand seem to be very good for the most part. There was a time when Sony was on the roll and that was back in the early 2000 when they released a series of great models: V1, V3, F717, F828 and finally the R1. Those were excellent cameras even by today's standards. Very innovative, packed with features (some you can't find anywhere anymore). Then marketing took over development.

Your experience mirrors the experience that I had when doing the "Comparison of Compact Zoom Cameras" thread.

Sarah Joyce

Yes, Sarah that was agreat comparsion and prompted me to buy the ZS 3 & ZS7 along with the HX5...I still keep waiting for the HX5 to perform, but have not found any situation where the ZS7 is not at least equal to the HX5 or MUCH better, maybe due to the quick select functions? and more control? The ZS7 is just a very nice camera and you get what you pay for, compared to the HX5 which should be in the $200-250 range in line with its performance...
I would definitely recommend the ZS7 and not at all afraid of soft shots, as some I have taken are very sharp and plenty crisp for 4X6 prints for anyone's taste...and I am sure would do 5X7 or 8X10 easily...

May I ask you why? I'm just curious. If the HX5 was $100 cheaper, I'd understand the desire to keep it instead of the ZS7 and save yourself some $$$. But, since that's not the case, what is it about the HX5 that is making you work so hard to justify keeping it?

May I ask you why? I'm just curious. If the HX5 was $100 cheaper, I'd understand the desire to keep it instead of the ZS7 and save yourself some $$$. But, since that's not the case, what is it about the HX5 that is making you work so hard to justify keeping it?

I was really wanting a camera to get some dinner shots while we are on a cruise this year... we sit out late in the evenings and the next evening outing I am going to take the HX5 and try for some low light shots to see if it is capable for what I want...a couple of more tries before I give up or in!
really it's a lot of fun be able to experience with different cameras in different scenario's...I am having a good time with it...It's just so funny that Sony wrote right on the front of the camera "Outstanding Low light Performance"...so I am determined to hold them to their word....

Sent the HX5 packing like Tulio said why try and convince yourself when the HX5 just doesn't have what I want in a Quick Draw Camera...on the way to Amazon.com I wasn't even confident enough to give it to someone...